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Caprese Bites

A caprese salad has always been one of my favorite salads. It’s just so refreshing and tasty. Well, since I’m starting to get hooked on Pinterest, I’m seeing all kinds of cool ideas, this one being one of them. The think I’m doing different is I’m marinating the cheese (or tofu) for a few minutes while I cut the tomatoes, basil and scallions. I have to say, they were a hit for sure and so easy to eat. Please leave a comment and let me know if you try these yummy caprese bites.

Ingredients:

1 pack of grape tomatoes (cherry would work too)

1 ball of fresh mozzarella (or firm tofu)

Fresh basil leaves

A bunch of scallions (green onions)

Crushed garlic (depending on your taste; 3-4 cloves we like garlic )

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar (I used white here)

1/2 cup first pressed olive oil (it’s dark green and the best for you, but if you don’t have it, use evoo)

Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Toothpicks

Directions:
Mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, red pepper flakes, pinch of salt and fresh ground pepper in a bowl. Cut the cheese (LOL – mozzarella) or tofu in small little cubes. Gently toss it in the olive oil mixture and let it sit at least 10 minutes. In the mean time, cut the top of the tomato off, (the part where the stem attaches). You want to make sure you don’t take off too much, just enough for it to be flat and stand up. Then cut the tomato in half – horizontal to where you just made your first cut. Depending on how big your basil leaves are, you’ll want to cut them, just enough to fit the small cubes of cheese. Cut the scallions to fit the basil.

Now take one piece of basil, place the scallion on top, now wrap that around a cube of cheese. Place that in between a top and bottom piece of tomato (bottom piece should be the one you cut with the flat surface). Put a toothpick through it to stand it up. Once all of them are done, drizzle with whatever remaining oil mixture you have left. Brilliant, no? LOL